Problems With China's Consumer Price Index

The NYT reported that China's consumer price index (CPI) understates inflation because it includes an outdated set of goods and services. It is worth noting that this has been a reason that many economists have argued that the CPI in the United States overstates inflation.

The prices of new goods and services tend to fall rapidly in the first year or two that they appear on the market (think of CD players or cell phones). If these sharp price declines are not included in a price index then it is likely to overstate the true rate of inflation.